Today I’m talking to Doctor James Smith, who will be discussing the subject of natural selection. Dr. Smith, can you please explain what it’s all about?

1. Natural selection
Use your notes to answer these questions.
1. Charles Darwin chose the name ‘natural selection’ as an analogy with _____________
______________, which is also known as selective breeding.
2. Because of heredity, all members of a species are alike.
T F
Complete this table:
Stage of the process Explanation
fertility
All living things have such fertility that their population size
could 3. ____________________ forever.
population
We see that the size of populations does not do this. Mostly,
numbers remain 4. ____________________.
food / resources
The food and other resources are limited. Therefore, there is
5.____________________ for food and resources.
individuality
No two individuals are alike. Therefore, they will not have the
same chances to 6. ____________________.
inheritance
Much of this variation can be inherited. The parents pass such
traits to 7. ____________________ through their genes.
survival / reproduction
The next generation only comes from those who survive and
reproduce. Natural selection is a process of 8. _____________.
9. Since the discovery of ____________________ in 1928 by Alexander Fleming,
antibiotics have been used to fight bacterial diseases.
10. When factories were built, pollution made all the trees look black. _________
___________ moths were easy to see, whereas ____________________ moths now had
the advantage, because the environment had changed.
11. Why is mimicry a part of evolution?
________________________________________________________________________